1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup device and an image pickup method with a zoom function, where the image pickup device and the image pickup method can be used for a digital camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, an image pickup device, such as a digital camera has an optical-zooming function so that the image pickup device can zoom in on a subject and photograph the subject. Further, there have been proposed digital cameras that can bracket a focal length and photograph a subject.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. P2000-69345 discloses a camera with a zoom function. More specifically, if a release key is not pressed down by two stages and a wide-key top and/or a telescopic-key top of a zoom key is pressed down when the camera with the zoom function is in an automatic-zoom-photographing mode, photographing operations and recording operations are repetitively performed while a focal length is changed step by step. Subsequently, at least two photographed images with different viewing angles can be obtained.